FOUNDATIONS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

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Learning Objectives

1. Describe several important trends occurring in computer software.

2. Give examples of major types of application and system software.

3. Explain the purpose of several popular software packages for end user productivity and collaborative computing.

4. Define and describe the functions of an operating system.

5. Describe the main uses of computer programming software, tools, and languages. BIS1202

System Software Outline

Application Software

Systems Software

Operating Systems

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Case 1: Microsoft is looking at how companies do business

Microsoft has started focusing on different industries and writing software products to support them Examples, financial services, communications,

government, education, automotive, retail and hospitality, health care, manufacturing, media

Vertical segments: a specific industry Accelerators: software add-ons aimed at

business processes common to a given industry Software layers: software that serves the needs

of a broad base of companies in a particular sector inserted into enterprise applications

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Case Study Questions

1. A common phrase among IT professionals is “The world views its data through Windows.” Why does Microsoft dominate the desktop and networked software market? Visit its website at www.microsoft.com, and review its broad range of software products and services to help with your answer.

2. How successful will Microsoft be in competing with software vendors who specialize in specific market applications like health care, retail and other specialty services? Why?

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Case Study Questions

3. Do you agree with Microsoft’s strategy to develop industry-specific partners to capitalize on opportunities in both large and small business sectors? Is there an advantage or a disadvantage to being one of Microsoft’s partners in this type of relationship? Explain.

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Real World Internet Activity

1. Industry-specific software applications are everywhere. Despite this, many industries still do not have a wide variety of software applications to meet their needs. Using the Internet,

See if you can find one example of an industry that has a wide variety of vertical applications,

One industry that does not have a variety of software solutions to choose from.

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Real World Group Activity

2. Using the industries who do not have a wide variety of support applications that you found from the first activity, in small groups,

Discuss what types of applications would be valuable to your industries.

Why do you think the applications you came up with have not been developed?

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Types of software by function

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Software types

Application software Performs information processing tasks for

end users

System software Manages and supports operations of

computer systems and networks

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Software classifications by development

Classify based on how it was developed Custom software / bespoke

Software applications that are developed within an organization for use by that organization

COTS software Commercial Off-the-shelf (COTS) Software developed with the intention of selling

the software in multiple copies Why would you choose Custom over COTS? Why would you choose COTS over Custom?

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Software classifications by user PersonalWorkgroup

Two or more people who work together to achieve a common goal

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A. Application Software

Gives users the ability to solve problems and perform specific tasks

Interact with systems software Systems software then directs the

hardware to perform tasks

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Application Software

General purpose Programs that perform common

information processing jobs for end users E.g., word processing, spreadsheet, etc. Also called productivity packages

Application-specific Programs that support specific applications

of end users E.g., electronic commerce, customer

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Types (by Functions) of Application Software Proprietary software / bespoke soft ware

One-of-a-kind program for a specific application Off-the-shelf software

Existing software program that can be purchased Application service provider (ASP)

Provides the software, support, and computer hardware on which to run the software

Software as a service (SaaS) Businesses subscribe to Web-delivered business

application software by paying a monthly service charge or a per-use fee BIS1202

Types and Functions of Application Software (continued)

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Types and Functions of Application Software (continued)

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a) Personal Application Software Word Processing Spreadsheet Analysis Database Applications Graphics Programs Personal Information Managers Software Suites and Integrated Software

Packages

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Personal Application Software (continued)

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b) Workgroup Application Software

Workgroup application software Designed to support teamwork

GroupwareHelps groups of people work together effectively

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Workgroup Application Software (continued)

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c) Enterprise Application Software

Software that benefits an entire organization

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software Programs that manage a company’s vital

business operations for an entire multisite, global organization as one.

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Enterprise Application Software (continued)

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Application Software for Information, Decision Support, and Specialized Purposes Available in every industry

Example: Genetic researchers are using software to visualize and analyze the human genome

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Software Suites

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Software Suites

Software suites integrate software packages Advantages:

Cost less than buying individual packages All have a similar GUI Work together well

Disadvantages Features not used by all users Take a lot of disk space

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Web Browser

Software applications that support navigation through the point-and-click resources of the Web

Surfing the web Becoming a universal software platform

for Internet-based applications Microsoft Explorer, Netscape Navigator,

Firefox, Opera or Mozilla

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E-mail, Instant Messaging and Weblogs E-mail

Software to communicate by sending and receiving messages and attachments via the Internet, intranet or extranet

Instant messaging (IM) Receive electronic messages instantly

Weblog or blog A personal website in dated log format Updated with new information about a

subject or range of subjects

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Word processing and Desktop publishing

Word processing Create, edit, revise and print documents E.g., Microsoft Word, Lotus WordPro and

Corel WordPerfect Desktop Publishing

Produce printed materials that look professionally published

E.g., Adobe PageMaker, Microsoft Publisher and QuarkXPress

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Electronic Spreadsheets and Presentation Graphics

Electronic Spreadsheets Worksheet of rows and columns Used for calculations and charts E.g., Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft Excel, Corel

QuattroPro Presentation Graphics

Convert numeric data into graphics displays Prepare multimedia presentations including

graphics, photos, animation, and video clips E.g., Microsoft PowerPoint, Lotus Freelance,

Corel PresentationsBIS1202

Personal Information Manager and Groupware

Personal Information Manager (PIM) Software for end user productivity and

collaboration Store information about clients, schedules,

manage appointments, manage tasks E.g., Lotus Organizer, Microsoft Outlook

Groupware Software that helps workgroups collaborate

on group assignments E-mail, discussion groups, databases,

videoconferencing E.g., Lotus Notes, Novell GroupWise,

Microsoft ExchangeBIS1202

Software alternatives

Outsourcing development and maintenance of software

Application service providers (ASPs) Companies that own, operate and maintain

application software and computer system resources

Use the application for a fee over the Internet

Pay-as-you-go

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Software Licensing

All software (COTS, ASP) is licensed You don’t buy software: you buy a

license to use the software under the terms of the licensing agreement

Licensed to protect the vendor’s property rights

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Case 2: Open-Source Software – assignment 1 for BIS-2010 evening. Open-source software

Also referred to as free software Software can be modified Typically acquired with a license License grant you the right to run the software,

own the source code, modify the source code and distribute copies of the software

Free but have to pay for training, support, documentation

Examples: Linux, Apache Web server, Sendmail, Perl scripting language

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Case Study Questions

1. What are the business benefits of adopting open-source software?

2. What are the risks associated with open-source software? How can these risks be addressed?

3. Do you see open-source software eventually replacing the current proprietary software model? Explain your answer.

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Real World Internet Activity

1. A wide variety of organizations have been formed to advance the open-source initiative. Using the Internet,

See if you can find information on these open-source advocate organizations.

A good place to start is www.opensource.org

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Real World Group Activity – Group work for discussion

2. Supporters as well as detractors of open-source operating systems such as Linux are quite passionate about their feelings. In small groups,

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of open-source applications.

If any of your classmates have experience with systems such as Linux, ask them to explain their feelings and experiences.

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B. Systems Software

Definition: a type of computer software designed to

operate the computer hardware and to provide and maintain a platform for running application software.

Critical function of systems software Controlling operations of computer

hardware Supports the application programs’

problem-solving capabilities

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System software

Software that manages and supports a computer system

System management programs Programs that manage hardware, software,

network, and data resources E.g., operating systems, network management

programs, database management systems, systems utilities

Systems development programs Programs that help users develop information

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Operating System

Integrated system of programs that Manages the operations of the CPU Controls the input/output and storage

resources and activities of the computer system

Provides support services as computer executes applications programs

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Operating System basic functions

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User Interface

Part of the operating system that allows you to communicate with it

Three main types: Command-driven Menu-driven Graphical user interfaces (GUI)

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Resource management

Part of operating system that manages the hardware and networking resources of a computer system Includes CPU, memory, secondary storage

device, telecommunications, and input/output peripherals

Virtual memory Swapping parts of programs and data

between memory and magnetic disks

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File management

Part of the operating system that controls the creation, deletion, and access of files of data and programs

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Task Management

Part of the operating system that manages the accomplishment of computing tasks of the end users

Multitasking Task management approach that allows for

several tasks to be performed in a seemingly simultaneous fashion Assigns only one task to CPU but switches between

tasks so quickly looks like executing all programs at once

Also called multiprogramming or time-sharing

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Popular Operating Systems Windows

GUI, multitasking, networking, multimedia Microsoft’s operating system Different versions manage servers

Unix Multitasking, multiuser, network-managing Portable – can run on mainframes, midrange and

PCs Linux

Low-cost, powerful reliable Unix-like operating system

Open-source MAC OS X

Apple operating system for the iMac GUI, multitasking, multimedia

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Systems Software

Types of systems software Operating System (OS) Utility Software Device Drivers Programming languages

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B1. Operating Systems

Combinations of OSs, computers, and users Single computer with a single user Single computer with multiple users Multiple computers Special-purpose computers

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Operating Systems (continued)

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Operating Systems (continued) Activities performed by the operating

system include: Perform common computer

hardware functions Provide a user interface and

input/output management Provide a degree of hardware

independence Manage system memory

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Operating Systems (continued) Common hardware functions

OS acts as an intermediary between the application and the hardware

User interface and input/output management User interface allows people to access and

command the computer system Hardware independence

Programmers can use APIs to create application software API –Application Programming Interface is an

interface implemented by a software program which enables it to interact with other softwareBIS1202

Operating Systems (continued)

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Operating Systems (continued) Memory management

OS controls how memory is accessed and maximizes available memory and storage

Processing tasks Task management allocates computer

resources Networking capability

Computers can join together in a network to send and receive data – to share resources

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Operating Systems (continued) Access to system resources and security

OS needs to provide a high level of security against unauthorized access to users’ data

File management OS manages files to ensure that files in

secondary storage are available when needed

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Current Operating Systems

Microsoft PC operating systems Windows 7 released in 2009, less than three years

after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. The OS was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being compatible with applications and hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible.

Apple computer operating systems OSs have evolved and often provide features not

available from Microsoft Linux

An open-source operating systemBIS1202

Current Operating Systems by user

Windows 7 Windows Server 2008 R2

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Workgroup Operating Systems Definition:

A workgroup OS is one that allows a collection of individuals to work together on a task.

Examples Server 2008 R2 Windows Server UNIX NetWare Red Hat Linux Mac OS X Server

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Enterprise Operating Systems Definition:

this is an OS that allows an organization to work as 1 regardless of the number of departments.

Examples : z/OS

IBM’s first 64-bit enterprise OS HP-UX and Linux

Robust UNIX-based OS Supports Internet database

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Operating Systems for Small Computers, EmbeddedComputers, and Special-Purpose Devices Palm OS

Operating system used in over 30 million handheld computers and smart phones

Windows Embedded Family of Microsoft OSs embedded into small

computer devices Windows Mobile

Operating system designed for smartphones and PDAs

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B2. Utility Programs

Miscellaneous housekeeping functions Example, Norton utilities includes data

backup, virus protection, data compression, etc.

Help to perform maintenance or correct problems with a computer system

Help to secure and safeguard data

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Utility Programs (continued)

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B3. Device Drivers

Definition: a device driver or software driver is a computer

program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a hardware device.

The function of a device driver is to allow the communication between the computer operating system and the device attached to it.

Read more: Device Driver Examples | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5345205_device-driver-examples.html#ixzz0wnoOj6L6

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B4. Programming Languages Sets of symbols and rules used to write

program code Programming

Translating what a user wants into instructions that the computer can understand and execute

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Programming Languages (continued)

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Programming Languages

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Language Translators

Definition: A computer program which transforms

source code into object code Language Translators convert information

from the human language to machine language which is the binary format.

It is also called a compiler. Use the internet and various text books

to get examples and read further

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Language Translators

Definition: A computer program which transforms

source code into object code Language Translators convert information

from the human language to machine language which is the binary format.

It is also called a compiler. Use the internet and various text books

to get examples and read further

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Language Translator Programs Translate instructions written in

programming languages into machine language

Assembler translates assembler language statements

Compiler translates high-level language statements

Interpreter compiler that translates and executes each

statement in a program one at a time Java is interpreted

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Programming Tools

Help programmers identify and minimize errors while they are programming Graphical Programming Interfaces Programming Editors Debuggers

CASE tools A combination of many programming tools

into a single application with a common interface

Used in different stages of the systems development process

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Machine Languages

First-generation languages All program instructions had to be

written using binary codes unique to each computer

Programmers had to know the internal operations of the specific type of CPU

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Assembler Languages

Second-generation languages Symbols are used to represent operation

codes and storage locations Need language translator programs to

convert the instructions into machine instructions

Used by systems programmers (who program system software)

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High-Level Languages

Third-generation languages Instructions that use brief statements or

arithmetic expressions Macroinstructions: each statement

generates several machine instructions when translated by compilers or interpreters

Easier to learn than assembler Machine independent Less efficient than assembler

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Fourth-Generation Languages Variety of programming languages that

are nonprocedural and conversational Nonprocedural – users specify results

they want while computer determines the sequence of instructions that will accomplish those results

Natural Language – very close to English or other human language

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Object-Oriented Languages Combine data elements

and the procedures that will be performed upon them into Objects

E.g., an object could be data about a bank account and the procedures performed on it such as interest calculations

Object-Oriented Languages

Most widely used software development languages today

Easier to use and more efficient for graphics-oriented user interfaces

Reusable: can use an object from one application in another application

E.g., Visual Basic, C++, Java

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Web Languages

HTML A page description language that creates hypertext

documents for the Web XML

Describes the contents of Web pages by applying identifying tags or contextual labels to the data in Web documents

Java Object-oriented programming language that is simple,

secure and platform independent Java applets can be executed on any computer J2EE - Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition - AllowS

cross-platform communication, J2EE was created to simplify...

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J2EE versus .Net

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Other types of system software

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Other system software

Performance monitors Programs that monitor and adjust computer

system to keep them running efficiently Security monitors

Programs that monitor and control use of computer systems to prevent unauthorized use of resources

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Application servers

Provide an interface between an operating system and the application programs of users

Middleware Software that helps diverse software

applications exchange data and work together more efficiently

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Web Services

Software components based on a framework of Web and

object-oriented standards and technologies

for using the Web to electronically link the applications of

different users and different computing platforms

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How web services work

Source: Adapted from Bala Iyer, Jim Freedman, Mark Gaynor and George Wyner, “Web Services: Enabling Dynamic BusinessNetworks,” Communications of the Association for Information Systems, Volume11, 2003, p. 543.BIS1202

Case 3: Amazon and eBayNew Face of Web Services

Amazon provides access to some of its data and website functionality

eBay opened up e-commerce software Opened to programmers and any

company interested in e-commerce

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Case Study Questions

1. What are the purpose and business value of Web services?

2. What are the benefits of Web services to Amazon, eBay, and their developer partners?

3. What are the business challenges of Web services? Visit the Web services websites of IBM (www.ibm.com/solutions/webservices) and Microsoft (www.microsoft.com/webservices) to help with your answer.

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Real World Internet Activity

1. The concept of Web services and the opportunities they provide are growing everyday. Using the Internet,

See if you can find ways in which companies are using Web services beyond those listed in the case.

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Real World Group Activity

2. Being able to integrate one organization’s website with another’s poses some interesting questions of privacy, intellectual property protection and technical challenges. In small groups,

Discuss privacy, intellectual property protection and technical challenges issues.

Do you think there is any risk associated with this type of cooperation?

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Software Issues and Trends

Software issues Software bugs Copyrights and licenses Global software support

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Software Bugs

Defects in a computer program that keeps it from performing as it is designed to perform

Tips for reducing impact of software Register all software so that you can receive

bug alerts, fixes, and patches Check the manual or read-me files for work-

arounds Access support area of the manufacturer’s Web

site for patches Install the latest software updates

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Copyrights and Licenses

Most software products Protected by law using copyright or

licensing provisions Some software

Require that you register or activate it before it can be fully used

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Software Upgrades

Software companies Periodically revise their programs and sell

new versions Software upgrades

Usually cost much less than the original purchase price

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Global Software Support

Supporting local operations Biggest challenge faced by IS teams when

putting together standardized, companywide systems

In today’s computer systems Software is an increasingly critical

component

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Considerations in Purchasing Software

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Summary (continued)

Application software Applies the power of the computer to solve

problems and perform specific tasks Operating system (OS)

Set of computer programs that controls the computer hardware to support users’ computing needs

Approaches to developing application software Build proprietary application software Buy existing programs off the shelf Combination of customized and off-the-shelf

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THE END

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The next topic is Database Systems & Business Intelligence

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